The Sun is A Star, Remember
by Princess Jaquline Chess
Summary: When the sun left a gift on Earth, so did six other stars. They left behind things that in order to face her destiny, Rapunzel needs. This is a story of a broken girl and lost boy having to learn what it means to be forgiving, because Varian is one of many keys to uncovering the truth of her fate.
1. The Gift

**_Chapter summary: Varian finds a way out._**

It is cold and dark here, but that is not the reason Varian hates his stay in the dungeon. No, he hates it here because he didn't _deserve_ to be here, no matter what some prissy pink princess and her gaggle of friends might say.

Varian pulled up his knees and leaned against the wall, the uneven cobbles of the floor digging into him uncomfortably. He felt Rudiger shift in his spot next to him and felt a slight tickle from the brush of the raccoon's fur. The moonlight cut through the window in corner and cast the room in a silvery glow, but it was still dark enough that he could barely see the wooden cot hanging on the opposite wall.

He should be sleeping – though he had lost track of the days weeks ago, he had heard from the guards one of the therapists that had decided they could help him was going to be coming down. He had uncovered that they don't like when he's grump and irritable from lack of sleep.

Joke's on them. He's always grumpy and irritable these days.

But sleep – as usual – was evading him. Sleep before his time here in the dungeon had been an elusive item to hold anyway, and in the after had became almost a luxury from how rare he got to have it. It wasn't because it was noisy – oh no, Frederic (he refused to call him King when he didn't _act like it_ ) had said that Varian was far too dangerous to be left near the other prisoners, so he had been left on this particular cell block by himself save the two guards at end of the hall and the raccoon next to him.

His eyes stung from being open so long, but his head refused to let them have the reprieve they desired. His mind was spinning wildly as it could as it ran over every possible way that he could get out of this room.

It was small – barely larger than six feet across and wide. The personal cells were smaller than the ones made for two, he had seen a couple of them when he had been escorted down here. Those cells weren't exactly all that sparse in terms of room either; the other prisoners had seemed crowded in the one or two extra feet of space they shared with their cellmates.

The size wasn't what mattered, no this could be large or small for all he cared, his problem was that he had nothing to help him. No pins to pick a lock or glass to use – nothing. Just him, his raccoon, and wooden bench he was supposed to sleep on. Just about the only thing he had that could be counted as extra was the pillow. Not that it was useful in an escape attempt – what was he going to do? Knock at the door with it until it opened?

It wasn't even good for it's usual use. It was lumpy inside and scratchy on the surface; the cold feeling of the floor was more comfortable than that forsaken pillow. From that fact alone, he had abdicated any pretense of using the cot. His whole life was now this dungeon floor.

Rudiger moved again, mouth tittering quickly as he made a noise. Rudiger had been just about the only thing keeping him from going insane in this hell – the eye of the hurricane in a way. The calm center in between the harshness that the wind and rain all around was threatening to inflict. He had been through one half of the storm, and the other half was coming because he was going to get out of here, mark his words.

Varian reached over to pet the animal softly, a silent thank you for staying. Rudiger was naturally nocturnal, every instinct in him was probably telling him to get out of this cell through that window and search for food. But instead, he had elected to stay here with Varian. Rudiger – unlike everyone else on this green Earth, it seemed – actually seemed to care about others.

Varian shut his eyes for a moment and leaned his head back against the stone wall completely. His eyes lost some of their sting from the motion, but his head felt just alive as it had a moment before.

He had to get out of here. He had to get out of here _now._

His eyes popped open and he shifted again. Sleep wasn't as simple as shutting his eyes and letting it over take him, no, he couldn't ever have it that easy. When they had clamped those chains on his arms and took him from his home, somehow, they had inexplicably taken his ability to sleep. They have already taken his home, his father, even his freedom, so why shouldn't they take away this away too?

He snarled under his breath and hugged his knees closer to his chest. God, what would Dad say if he could see him now? He could almost see Dad's disappointed look, that same dull and sad light in his eyes that he had every time Varian messed something up, and he felt a pang in his heart. He wouldn't see that look ever again, not if he was stuck here forever.

A disappointed Dad was better than one he would never see again, a lesson he was now learning the hard way because of what Rapunzel did.

" _Look….at…..me..."_

Varian felt himself come more alive at the sound of the voice – well, at the sound of any voice. No one talked to him. Not the guards at the end of the hall for certain, the only contact he had with anyone were the rotating roster of professionals that paraded through here to "reform" him and the raccoon at his side. And the only one he listened anyway was Rudiger and Rudiger technically wasn't even speaking to him.

The voice seemed to be coming from the window, but the voice had disappeared just as quickly as it had come. It was replaced only by the sound of the wind blowing against the bushes lining the small garden outside. Varian shook his head to clear his thoughts. It was probably just a trick. He was exhausted, and he was no stranger to the effects of little sleep.

" _Look….at…...me!"_

The voice was back and louder now, so loud that it sparked Rudiger up into alertness. Rudiger blinked wildly and rushed across the expanse of the room, tailing shaking wildly in fear as he searched for the source of the sound.

"Whoa, Rudiger, it's okay," Varian said, reaching out to take him in his arms. Rudiger stiffened slightly under his touch, but gave no fight when Varian pulled him close to his chest. "Nothing's going to hurt you, I'm here."

Now he heard another sound, this time the clanking of metal. He peeked over his shoulder to see the two guards blinking and rising back to full posture. He rolled his eyes and turned back around. Apparently, Varian's quiet stubbornness was boring them.

Rudiger seemed to be calming now, burrowing his head into the folds of Varian's blue shirt. His apron had long since been confiscated – Frederic had been worried he might use the fold of fabric for "nefarious" purposes.

Fool.

Varian looked down at Rudiger for a moment, patting his head softly as he tried to calm him down.

" _Look at me now!"_

Varian snapped up into the direction of the window. The voice was much louder now – impossible to be ignored or dismissed as a trick of the wind. Rudiger didn't go off at the sound now, much calmer now that he was in Varian's arms. Varian cut his glance over to the guards, who were still positioned at the end of the hall.

His brow furrowed. How were they not hearing this? Someone had been yelling almost three times now.

Varian shook his head and went over to the window, slipping Rudiger onto his shoulders. Rudiger found his usual resting place with ease, his tail and head wrapping around Varian's shoulder without protest from the boy.

"Hell-hello?" he whispered into the world outside the window. His voice was soft, much quieter than one getting him to look outside had been. Though he hated it here, he would hate even more to alert the guards for even the simplest of things. That was the last thing he wanted.

No answer came for a long moment, and he was just about ready to accept that he was hallucinating after all when the voice called back out to him.

" _Check…your pocket,"_ the voice said.

Varian felt a faint string of curiosity. The voice wasn't the concerning part – no, compared to having an ex-friend with magic golden hair, hearing a voice out a window wasn't all that upsetting to his psyche. But why would it tell him to look in his pocket? His pocket was empty –

In time with that thought, he felt pressure in the left pocket of his pants. His eyes widened at the revelation and he reached deep inside his pocket, finding that in fact something was there.

He pulled out what it was to discover a thin, golden line that was wrapped in a white paper. He recognized it as a chain and he pulled at it so that the paper was no longer encircling it.

He crinkled his noise at the sight of what was at the end – it wasn't disgusting, but boy was it _gaudy._ Thin black beads threaded down a fourth of the chain until it reached a circle, which in itself was almost oval-shaped, made of a much thicker ring of gold lined with light gray beads. At the base of the oval was thin strips of clothes that closed off with more lines of the same color of black beads.

Rudiger reached out to touch it, paw hitting the strips with a kind of wonder. Varian smiled at the sight before returning his attention to the paper in his other hand. He handed the necklace off to Rudiger, who was took it and pawed it over and over again in hands as he looked it over.

Varian unrolled the sheet.

 _With this necklace, you might find your place will change. Just think of where you wish to go when you wear it, and then you'll see the things you'll need._

 _Use wisely._

 _*A friend_

This note, and necklace, was more than a little unsettling. Where had it come from? How it had gotten in his pocket in the first place? He wasn't that naïve to believe no magic existed – not anymore, not after everything that had happened. But what magic was this necklace connected to, and why was it choosing now to reveal itself?

And what did it mean? _Just think of where you wish to go when you wear it, and then you'll see the things you'll need?_ Varian considered himself fairly intelligent – one does not become enemy number one of an entire country without a fair bit of brains – but he was finding it hard to understand what this meant.

He checked over the note again, reaching over to take the necklace back from Rudiger with an apologetic look.

"Sorry, buddy," Varian said. Rudiger's bottom lip jutted out some but didn't fight Varian. He burrowed his head back down into Varian's shoulder and Varian sighed once. He didn't like making Rudiger upset.

"What do you think it means?" Varian asked Rudiger softly. Rudiger gave no answer, just nudging his nose into Varian's shoulder. The wet feeling of Rudiger's nose wasn't an answer, but it felt at least nice to know that he was responding. He swore that sometimes he would go crazy without Rudiger to talk to, a line he was fairly certain he was tittering close to.

" _Think of where you wish to go,"_ Varian whispered under his breath, thumb tracing over the side of the gray beads. He raised an eyebrow at Rudiger. "Teleportation, maybe?"

In his early days as an alchemist, he had quickly dismissed the idea of teleportation of ever being possible. But then Rapunzel and her friends had waltzed in with magic hair and a horse dangerously close to being human-like. Nothing seemed impossible anymore, so why couldn't this necklace be something like that?

 _Worth a shot,_ he decided with a shrug, pulling the necklace over his head. Rudiger moved quickly to not be caught in the chain, falling down to rest in his arms.

Varian had half-expected something to happen the second he had put on the item, but all that happened was that he now was the wearer of an ugly necklace. He pursued his lips and reached to hold the circle and strings in his hand.

 _Think of where you wish to go._

Was it really that simple?

He looked to Rudiger, who just gave him a cursory glance in return. He sighed and held onto the beads tighter so that they started to dig into his palms.

" _I want to go home,"_ he whispered. At first nothing happened.

But then there was flash of white light around, and he felt his heart drop to his stomach and his stomach drop to his knees. His surroundings disappeared, replaced by strings of colored light. Blue, green, red, pink, all rushing past him at speeds he didn't know was possible. He felt like he was flying but, yet he was still standing upright.

He could still feel Rudiger on his shoulders, as well as his sounds of distress from this sudden change. He wanted to reach out to calm his friend, but it felt like he was pinned in the same position – hands holding the paper and the necklace, feet pressing against whatever was beneath him.

Just as quickly as it began, it stopped. The colors stopping spinning and disappeared, revealing to him a new location. Rudiger nuzzled against him in fright and while Varian did reach up a hand to pet him comfortingly, his eyes were trailing over the familiar room.

The wall color was blue, just like it had been for years, an unmade bed shoved in the corner of the room. A pillow was thrown across the floor, books open next to it. Scratched out wanted posters of the infamous Flynn Ryder almost completely eclipsed the paint on the far wall, sketches of Rapunzel and her hair hung close to the nightstand.

It was his room.

He felt his body lurch forward automatically, calm flooding him as tears drew into his eyes.

The necklace had brought him _home,_ just like he had asked it too. The tears didn't come fast like he had expected but lobbied in his eyes for a moment before they fell. He was actually home – not just a vision from exhaustion or part of a nightmare during his brief respites in the dungeon.

Rudiger clamored done from his place on his shoulders once he too realized what they were, finding his usual spot at the edge of Varian's bed to sleep. Rudiger seemed content as he settled down in the familiar spot on the mattress, the closest thing he could manage to a smile on his face.

Meanwhile Varian remained motionless for another moment. He was home, for the first time in what felt like ages. What was he supposed to do now? He had just wanted to go home, and while he knew what he wanted to do next, he couldn't really think.

He was tried, dear God was he tired, but he also felt alive because he _finally_ had an advantage Corona didn't. He didn't know where this necklace came from or why it did what it did, but all he knew was that he wasn't going to give it up anytime soon.

He walked towards the bed, collecting the pillow off the floor and dusting off the fabric. He needed sleep – sleep, yes, for right now, he needed to sleep.

He settled into the mattress and felt some of the ache of his joints disappear. Months ago, he had thought his bed too harsh to sleep in, head too full of fantasies and questions to consider. But he had been wrong, because this bed now felt like a gift. He curled the blanket around him.

His last thought before sleeping was of the guards that had been down there with him.

He smiled.

S _omeone was going to get fired._

 ** _I'M FINALLY WRITING THIS AU! I'M SO EXCITED!_**

 ** _Just so you guys know, I wrote this before (and published this chapter at least) before I saw "Vigor the Visionary", so we're going to say everything past "Freebird" is non-canon in this fic, that way Season 2 won't have to rewoven into the story. Also, because Red and Angry apparently came back, since I've got my own plans for them._**

 ** _And what do you guys think? I've wanted to write this fic forever, but I could never figure out an opening because since Varian is the main character and I could never figure exactly what the teleportation thing was, I was at a stand-still– but then I saw my mom's God awful ugly necklace and I was like "yep, Varian used_** **that** **** ** _as a magical thing". That necklace is real and it's just as ugly in real life, just without the magical rewards._**

 ** _Thanks for reading and have a blessed day!_**


	2. 2 First Steps

**_Chapter summary: Varian contemplates his next move, and Rapunzel discovers new things._**

* * *

Varian had always read that when a character awakes, they do not know where they are. It takes them a moment to look around their surroundings and maybe converse with someone else to understand where it was they were, even if they had been there hundreds of times.

But for Varian, there was none of this.

From the second his eyes opened to bright sunlight streaming from the window and Rudiger pawing at his leg, he knew exactly where he was and how he had got there. He sat bolt up, hand reaching to grasp the necklace around him to make sure that it hadn't been a dream.

And it wasn't. He was home, in his own bed, a strange necklace around him that while uglier than sin was by some miracle able to get him out of that jail.

"It was real…." Varian said, smiling as he looked down at Rudiger with a smile.

And then, he promptly retched.

The shock from everything that happened was finally catching up to him, the obstacle of exhaustion now finally removed from it's pursuit. He – the ever-enthusiastic alchemist – had used a magical necklace of unknown origin to get himself out of jail.

Since he hadn't eaten in hours even before sleeping, most of it just seemed to be dry heaving onto the wooden floor below. The taste of bile burned his throat and his chest breathed heavily as it attempted to restore itself to working order.

Rudiger snuggled closer to his leg, looking up at him softly. Varian coughed some more before his body finally accepted that it's stomach was empty and let him sit back up right again. Face blotchy and tears watery in his eyes, he reached to take Rudiger in his arms.

"I'm okay, Rudiger," Varian said softly, petting him on the head. He blinked away some of his tears and reached to wipe them away. "Little spooked is all."

Spooked didn't began to cover it. Shocked, scared, frightened, he didn't know what to make of his current predicament. He knew the guards were looking for him – he was an escaped prisoner, a fugitive of the law. That made the list of his options pretty slim; the necklace – while it seemed to get him out of there – was still an unknown variable.

Would it work again? Take him anywhere? Or had it been a one-time thing, a chance to get out by someone claiming to be his friend?

Was this friend looking for him too? He or she must have known where it was he had been in the first place if they had sent it to him – and _how_ had they gotten the necklace into his pocket? Magic? Science? Some mixture of the two?

He could stay here, get back to work fixing Dad's predicament, but any of his leads here had been blown. And if he did stay here, he knew they would be coming here quickly. This was his home, of all the places he was to return too, it would be here. Even if it was spiked with rocks and a complete mess, it was still his home, and a home was something someone never completely shake.

He could stay, and then just prayed that when they got here the necklace worked again, but it was a shot in the dark if it would. And even if he did stay, almost all his supplies had been usurped back when he used the automaton and the chemicals had been long gone before then. And he couldn't exactly walk back into town – which was mostly empty, so it's not like anyone was around to get supplies from and even they were, they all knew him and would turn him in to the first guard they saw.

He shook his head as his stomach rumble. He wasn't getting anything done just setting here on his bed, and he obviously had no clue what he was doing yet. He reached for Rudiger and stood from the mattress, pulling the blanket off of him.

"First things first, clean up this mess and scrounge up something to eat," Varian said. Despite his recent vomit, he didn't feel all that nauseous, so he figured it was safe to eat at least some of the crackers hidden away in what used to be their kitchen. "Sound like a plan?"

No answer.

"That's what I'd thought you'd say."

* * *

It had been a good day, or at least it was shaping up to be that way when another bombshell was cracked over Rapunzel's head.

The sun had been shining brilliantly in the sky with just the right amount wind to cool them, but not enough to be worrisome to anything other than Eugene's hair (he had only complained it was getting mussy _once_ ). It was Rapunzel's turn to steer the cavern, which she didn't mind all that much because it was a chance to let her see the outside world, so she had accepted the reins from Lance with no protest but much complaining from him about the task.

Cassandra – who almost never left her spot from the driver's seat – leaned back against the yellow painted wall of the cavern.

"You tired Cass?" Rapunzel teased, hands griping onto the reins.

Cassandra grunted and shifted in her seat.

"I'll take that as a yes," Rapunzel said. Cassandra grunted again and opened her eyes some, arms crossed over her chest.

"I wouldn't be tired _if Hook Foot didn't snore so loud_!" Cassandra said. Her voice rose at the end and she hit her fist against the exterior of the caravan, probably hoping that Hook Foot would hear and get the message that she was annoyed with him.

Rapunzel rolled her eyes. "Come on, Cass, he doesn't snore that bed."

Cassandra raised a brow, lowering her head as a low-hanging branch threatened to hit her. "So, you're telling me you're not bothered by his snoring at all."

Rapunzel hesitated. Hook Hand did snore, and okay, it had woken her up once or twice. Every night. For the past month and a half. But _still,_ he couldn't help it!

"Oh, well, uh, I never said that," Rapunzel said. Cassandra chuckled once under her breath.

"You've actually never said a lot of things."

Rapunzel jolted the caravan to a stop with the addition of that new voice, startling Maximus and Fidella. She gave them a quick, apologetic smile before slipping off her seat. The door to the caravan swung open, revealing the shocked formed of Eugene, Lance, and Hook Foot. Shorty was absent, but Rapunzel didn't really expect much otherwise. Shorty would show up again soon, most likely when they least expected it.

"Why'd we stop?" Eugene asked, raising a brow at her. Cassandra, walking up behind Rapunzel, pointed up to the pink roof of the caravan.

"Me." Rapunzel smiled up at the armor-clad form of Adira, face half-scarlet and a sword strapped to her back. Adira smiled back that grin she always had – it was the kind that seemed to convey a cool confidence hard to maintain, which Adira did almost effortlessly.

Adira rolled her eyes at all the stares and hopped down from the roof.

"Adira!" Lance said in surprise. "It's wonderful to see you again! You're looking well – you're always looking well!"

Adira smirked and walked past the dark-skinned man. "I know I am, thanks for noticing."

Adira stepped up to Rapunzel, hands akimbo and smirk disappearing to more of a smile.

"Princess," Adira greeted. Adira's eyes shifted over to Rapunzel's companions, a twinkle in them. "Fish Skin, Cassandra."

" _Must_ you call me that?" Eugene complained, only to be ignored. Adira's gaze returned solely to Rapunzel, lifting a brow.

"Princess, might I speak with you?" Adira asked. " _Alone?"_

"No dice," Cassandra said immedailty, stepping forward. "Anything you can say to her, you can say to all of us. Right, Raps?"

Rapunzel didn't answer for a moment. Adira seemed to know a lot about where they are going and had promised to help them, and while she did trust her, she didn't feel all that good about speaking with her alone. This was her destiny, yes, but everyone else was being dragged along with her so didn't they get to know.

The moment wasn't that long, but it was enough for Adira's gaze to widen.

"Princess?" she asked.

Rapunzel shook her head and put her hands on her hips.

"Cass is right," Rapunzel said. "We're a team. It's all or nothing."

Luckily, Adira didn't seem all that bothered by the rejection. Instead her smile widened, and Rapunzel felt something strange stir in the bottom of her stomach.

"Team player, I see," Adira said, walking a bit back from them. "You'll need that for the next part of your journey."

"Oh great, the mystic lady is being mystic again," Eugene said. Adira once again didn't respond to him, which only seemed to make Eugene annoyed. Rapunzel put a hand on his arm for gave him a quick smile, which helped some of the crinkling around his eyes to fade, and then walked over to where Adira was looking over Lance and Hook Foot critically.

"I'm guessing these two aren't Stars," Adira said. She seemed to be saying this to herself, given by her immediately leaving them in her shadow. Lance gave a small gasp, and Hook Foot snarled at her back.

"How dare you?!" Lance said, feather slightly ruffled, but Rapunzel was sure that he would be fine. Lance was never too mad for long.

"I'm hear to tell you about the next part of your journey," Adira said. Rapunzel heard Eugene scoffed.

"We figured out that much," Eugene snarked.

"As you know, there was a drop of sun that fell from the sky," Adira said. She motioned to Rapunzel's golden locks. "And that's what gave you your magic hair, even if now it lacks the infamous healing powers it once had."

An image of Gothel's tight, stifling smile flashed in her mind's eyes, and she tried not to shudder. Maybe it was for the best if the magic was gone, at least no one could use it for selfish reasons anymore.

"What you didn't know," Adira said, secretive smile in full, "is that wasn't the only magic from the heavens."

For a moment, all was silent. And then the words processed, and the entire party busted into frenzied and confused questioning.

"What do you mean?" Eugene said. "There are _more_ magical Sundrop flowers?"

"Is their moon magic or something too?" Lance asked, raising a brow.

"How much more?" Hook Foot said. "And is it available for profit?"

Cassandra reached to punch Hook Foot's shoulder. "Why are you just telling us this?"

Rapunzel, however, just remained silent. More magic? From the sky? Was-was it possible that magic was still here on Earth? Was she not the only one on this journey, someone else travelling on a different path going to the Dark Kingdom too, or had someone else walked this very same path before?

Was it possible that she wasn't the only one like this?

So many questions mixing and swirling around in her head that she could barely keep them all straight, and far too many and vast for her to begin forming them into words.

Adira ignored them all, keeping her gaze on Rapunzel.

"There are seven magical items that come from stars, excluding one from a different source and including the flower which became your hair," Adira explained coolly. She reached behind her, into the small satchel Rapunzel knew she kept hidden beneath her sword's sheath, to retrieve a piece of paper and held out to Rapunzel.

Rapunzel took it gingerly, finding it torn around all sides but one. Across it was scrawled six objects – two necklaces, a ring, a sword, a ribbon, and a pin. Around it was written several words in that language from the scroll, one she still couldn't real.

Eugene peeked over her shoulder, eyebrow raised in exasperation.

" _Great,"_ Eugene said, "more cryptic pieces of that scroll."

Rapunzel scoffed under her breath at her boyfriend's words and looked back at Adira.

"I don't understand, what are these objects?" Rapunzel asked. Adira pointed at the objects on the paper with a calm smile.

"These are the embodiments of each of those stars," Adira said. "They chose inanimate hosts, but each as a different ability and magic to spare. You'll need these on your quest, in order to face your destiny in the Dark Kingdom."

"Well, then, where are they?" Cassandra asked, eyes fiery in annoyance. Adira sighed and turned away from them.

"It's not that simple, I'm afraid," Adira said. "You see, each of these items aren't living things, like the flower was. The magic in those stars need something that is alive in order to latch onto to use its magic, unlike your flower, which used its own system to power it's magic and then used _you_ to heal others."

Rapunzel tried not to feel freaked out by that revelation.

"So, the magic in her hair is feeding off of her?" Hook Foot asked.

"Isn't that kind of _dangerous_?" Lance asked.

Adira shook her head. "It's not so much _feeding_ off of her, as being recharged. That's why you feel tired after a huge burst of using it, Princess."

This wasn't news to Rapunzel. She had always assumed something like this must have been happening, even way back when she still was with Gothel. She had always felt weaker and more tired after the song was used, but never enough to force her into sleep or medicine. The only time that had happened was when she had touched the rocks during the battle with Varian, which she supposed made sense.

"Okay, this is all very interesting," Eugene interrupted, " _but_ could you please skip to the reason why we can't just go find these things?"

Adira rolled her eyes. "So impatient Fish Skin." Eugene growled under his breath

"It's actually not all that complicated," Adira said. "Those living things these objects need? They're people, and each one chose that host the second that person was born and comes to them the moment it's needed most." She motioned to Rapunzel's hair. "Not unlike your hair returning the time you touched those rocks, because they were trying to find the Sundrop and that was the secret to unlocking it."

"Well, can't we just go find those people?" Rapunzel asked. "I'm sure they can't be that hard to find."

Adira shook her head. "That actually is a bit more complicated. They won't be found by you until they find you."

"Like the rocks?" Rapunzel asked. Adira nodded once with pride.

"Now you're getting it," Adira said. "Each one of those came after yours, hence why they had more good sense not to choose a living thing. But that means each one is looking for you, even if they don't know it yet."

Rapunzel felt uneasy. If they needed these objects – and these people – by default, then why do they need to wait? Rapunzel wouldn't consider herself an impatient person, but what if they got all the way to the Dark Kingdom without the other six people they needed?

"I'm super interested in all this, really, I am," Cassandra interjected, sword clinking as she shifted on her feet, "but why are you just now telling us this?"

Adira just smiled that smile that seemed to say _I know and you don't_.

"Because before now, it wasn't important," Adira said with a shrug. "One of those Stars has just been used, and if _his_ track record is anything to go by, you'll be one of his first stops with his new powers."

Rapunzel blinked once. "Wait, you mean to tell me that one of those objects is coming straight towards us?"

"Yep," Adira said, popping the p.

"Well, is he-is he at least friendly?" Rapunzel asked. "Will he help us?"

Adira seemed to consider this for a moment.

"Friendly? Well, uh, he won't be to you guys, but maybe to the others you pick up along the way," Adira said. "But help you? Oh, yes, because he has to, in order to save his family." Adira rolled her eyes at their looks. "You guys already know him, so don't give me those confused looks."

Unfriendly? Save his family? Who did she know like that? She tried her best to keep company that wasn't all that negative back when she was in Corona, and along the way here she hadn't picked up any friends that might qualify as that.

Then it hit her who it was, and she felt her heart sink. No, no, it can't be him – let it not be him –

"You mean –"

" _You have got to be kidding me."_

 _Damn,_ thought Rapunzel. It was Varian.

* * *

 ** _I'm still here guys, I swear. This fic is taking a bit longer because about half-way through planning a character got switched out for someone else, and I had to make sure they all fit still._**

 ** _Is Adira okay? I figured after a while she would just call everyone by their actual names, except Eugene because it gets such a rise out of him._**

 ** _Review Replies:_**

 ** _Mycove: I'm glad you liked the dungeon section! I worked really hard on it, I hope you enjoy this part too!_**

 ** _Sisternature365: Thank you so much! This AU means a lot to me, and I'm glad you're enjoying it._**

 ** _Rock Mint Swirl: I'm glad you liked it! I worked really hard to make it not just another cliché, Varian stuck in the dungeon scene and actually really interesting._**

 ** _Bookgirl11: Literally, if you had asked like a week ago, I could have done it, but I just moved out and can't take a photo of it anytime soon. I'm so sorry! I hope you liked this chapter though!_**

 ** _Thanks to everyone who left a review!_**

 ** _Any thoughts, questions, or concerns? Don't be afraid to share!_**  
 ** _\- Princess Chess_**


	3. Trust In Me

**_Chapter summary: Varian joins our motley crew._**

* * *

Varian would like it stated that, for the record, he never intended to end up back here meeting Rapunzel again, at least not until he had the necessary tools to defeat her. His chemical store had been pretty much eliminated following his experiments on Dad's entrapment, which meant he didn't have anything that he could use to fight her, because he wasn't ignorant enough to believe that he could beat Rapunzel in a singular, physical fight.

No, he was smaller and younger which made him naturally weaker physically than them. That was something he couldn't argue with, which was why he always used tricks and traps to ensnare his opponents. His mind was far stronger than theirs, but that advantage is one he couldn't have without the things he needed.

That forced him to push that need for revenge down on his priority list, much to chagrin. But that also left him purposeless because he had no idea where to go from here. He very much couldn't waltz into town (not that there was much town left, he noted with a bitter thought) and he couldn't stay here either.

So – with nowhere else to go – his eyes once again came upon that ugly necklace. He carefully examined it for what felt like forever, contemplating if it would work again. Whoever had sent it hadn't made a note that it would – but they also didn't disclose what it did in the first place all that obviously.

And so Varian made up his mind, pulled Rudiger up on his shoulders again, and clutched the necklace tightly in his hand from where it hung on his neck.

" _Take me to where I can save Dad,"_ Varian had thought. And then the colors and lightness and dizziness, all came back, as well as Rudiger's slight squeal of fear. Then it was gone, replaced by a vision of green trees and some yellow and pink monstrosity out of the corner of his eye.

He frowned and looked at where he was, feeling his hear drop again once his eyes slid over the other people in the place he was.

Rapunzel had her back to him, blonde hair now tied back by purple instead of red beads, Cassandra and Eugene flanking her two sides. Lance and Hook Foot (he believed those were their names – he had never been introduced to them aside from that infamous night) stood off from them, all five watching a tall woman with silver hair and red face paint. The tall woman was a mystery, imposing with a sword and armor, but Varian couldn't recall seeing her anywhere before.

"You have got to be kidding me," Varian said aloud before he could think. Five collective people cringed and turned to face him, each one of them putting a rotten feeling in his stomach.

Cassandra – rather predictably – reached for her sword and held it out towards him, scaring Rudiger into his shoulder. Eugene took one step forward in front of Rapunzel, reaching out a hand to block her from stepping forward herself. Lance and Hook Foot gave some semblance of a fighting stance, still a bit away.

Rapunzel, however, did nothing beside turn. She simply stared at him with an expression he couldn't name.

"Stay back!" Cassandra ordered. Varian fought the urge to roll his eyes. He hadn't made a motion to do anything to them yet – and besides, he was no idiot. He had no advantage here, the element of surprise had been quickly compromised by his own self and he had no weapon or tool beside his necklace, which he doubted would be much help after the switcheroo it just pulled on him.

"Varian!" the mystery woman said, tone much friendlier than the other's faces.

Varian raised an eyebrow in time to the befuddlement in everyone else's expression.

"Uh, I'm sorry, but I don't think we've met before," Varian said. He cast a glare at the group in front of him. "And I know you don't know me from these guys. They have a nasty habit of forgetting me."

Now, Rapunzel's expression shifted to a frown. "How did you get here Varian?"

Varian blinked back the surprise threatening to spill in his eyes. If it had been a few weeks ago, that would have gotten a rise out of her, something he very much enjoyed doing. He frowned back at her and clutched the necklace tighter in his palm.

"From one of the Stars," the woman said expertly, walking towards him. "Princess, we _just_ went over this."

Varian furrowed his brow and held up that necklace. "Is that what this is called? A Star? Last I checked, those are in the sky, mysterious lady."

The woman smiled. "Yes, Little Man, that's what it's called." She reached down and ruffled his hair. He abruptly took a step back with a frown. "Just like your father, he didn't like being touched much either."

That got his attention. "You knew my father?"

"You knew his father?" Eugene echoed. Cassandra smacked his shoulder and Varian made a mental note to thank Cassandra for that later.

"Yes, I did know Quirin," the woman said. A fond smile passed her face. "The name's Adira."

Varian's eyes widened. " _You're Adira?!"_

"Wait-wait-wait, you _know_ her?" Rapunzel asked incredulously, stepping forward. Varian continued to stare at Adira with open-mouthed shock.

"My-my dad used to tell me stories about – about a woman named Adira!" Varian said. "That was _you_?"

Adria nodded smugly. "Me and him were good friends back in the day."

Varian's old memories of his father telling stories of a woman named Adira came to him in a blinding flash. She had been cast a brave woman that could fight off hundreds of soldiers at once, and Varian had more than once wished to meet her but had always assumed she wasn't real. That she was just a figment, like Little Red Riding Hood or Victor Frankenstein – just the hero, not _real_.

And yet…. here she stood.

Adira continued to smile at him for another moment, silence taking the whole camp, before she slipped her gaze over to Rapunzel.

"The others will come with time," Adira said. Varian felt a snarl of curiosity in his stomach as he watched Adira. She was supposed to be brave and noble – why was she working with people like _Rapunzel?_ Weren't their many more people she could be trying to help? Not some wishy-washy princess going God's know where?

And who were these others? Was Adira bringing people here? Why-why had she brought _him_ here – to the place of his greatest enemies? Varian didn't like this, it was putting an uneasy feeling towards this woman in his stomach, even if she had been one of his childhood heroes.

(He supposed the real questions was how she knew Dad – but that wasn't the issue here, or he wouldn't let it be, at least for the moment.)

"Wait – are you leaving?" Rapunzel asked. Her voice sounded uncertain. It seemed Rapunzel too was unsure what to make of Adira.

"So soon?" Lance tacked on, eyes pleading for her to stay. Varian bit back a scoff. At least one person here it seemed was more than a little trusting towards Adira.

Rudiger hopped off his shoulder, Cassandra's sword still out but attention distracted enough by Adira that the animal no longer felt frightened. He positioned himself at Varian's heels, watching the scene before him the same as Varian.

"I'll be here if you need me, Princess," Adira said, placing a hand on Rapunzel's shoulder. "But for right now, I have other matters I have to take care."

Rapunzel frowned at the explanation but didn't question it. Varian rolled his eyes. It seemed despite everything that had happened, Rapunzel was still too trusting for her own good. It was yet to be seen if this Adira was useful to him or not, so for now – unlike Rapunzel and her cohorts, who appeared to trust her, - he would leave judgement unresolved.

Rapunzel took a step back from Adira, green eyes not leaving her heavily armored form as she slipped between the trees and away from them. A quiet, tense moment as all tried to process what just happened, before Eugene smiled widely in the direction Adira had went.

"Well, that went well," Eugene said, hands akimbo.

Varian scoffed. "Yeah, _right."_

Eyes whipped around to meet him again, very degrees of shock, anger, and confusion in all of them.

Varian opened his mouth to say something else, but then everything went black.

* * *

" _Jeez, Lance!"_

Cassandra marched forward, sword returning to her sheath with a slight clink. She stopped in front of the unconscious form of Varian, Rudiger sitting next to the teen boy in concern as he fiddled with his blue shirt, as if that would wake hip up.

Rapunzel looked over at where Lance was standing over him, a cup in his hand (taken from somewhere, Rapunzel couldn't even guess) as he looked rather apologetic. Rapunzel frowned at the scene and crossed her arms.

"What?" Lance said. "The kid was giving me the heebie-jeebies."

Cassandra shook her head and broke the cup of his grasp, looking at him sternly before casting the cup onto the ground.

"Varian has barely said _two words,"_ Cassandra said sternly. "None of which were to _you."_

He had spoken to anyone really, Rapunzel noted. Except Adira that was. Not that he had really the opportunity to say much else before he had the wind knocked out of him – quite literally.

"Still gave me the heebie-jeebies," Lance said. "With that weird little smirk of his."

Cassandra sighed and turned away from Lance, eyes landing on Eugene and Hook Foot.

"Get some rope," she said to them, no room for argument. Eugene and Hook Foot – catching onto her meaning – gave a nod before disappearing into the caravan silently. Rapunzel, at first, was confused. Why did Cassandra need rope? It's not like they had to tie anything –

Then it hit her.

"Looks, Raps, I know you're not going to like this," Cassandra said, "but he's a threat."

Cassandra looked so calm, much calmer than Rapunzel, but she could see anger in her eyes. Rapunzel supposed it was right, they had to do this, but her resolve wavered as she looked at the teen boy. He was much gaunter than the last time they had seen each other, apron stripped away to reveal a stained shirt with a hole in the sleeve, hair greasy from months without washing.

Was is it necessary to do this? Surely Varian posed no threat – he seemed to hold no threat to them, at least not now. He had none of his inventions or toys to help him, no weapons as far as they could tell. He looked so weak, wouldn't it be cruel to tie him up in addition?

Rapunzel looked closer, into his unconscious face, and frowned. The bright lights of the rock came back to her, and the screams of Cassandra and her mother.

She looked back up at Cassandra with a nod. "Do it."

Cassandra – looking a little surprised that Rapunzel didn't put up that much of a fight – nodded in return. Eugene and Hook Foot returned a moment later with the required rope.

Lance and Eugene quickly picked up the young boy, leaning him against a tree so that he was sitting up. Cassandra cut the long slip of rope with the sword, handing one end of it off to Eugene. Cassandra reached down and tied Varian's hands together with a stiff, emotionless face. Eugene did likewise to his feet, and Rapunzel ignored the holes in the soul of his boots.

Rapunzel watched this silently. This was necessary, yes, but it did not mean she had to like it. She hugged her arms to herself, eye brows furrowed together as they continued with the task.

She felt a soft brush against her heel, and she looked down to see Rudiger staring back up at her. Rapunzel smiled down at the raccoon. In that all ensuing chaos, she had almost forgotten the animal's presence. Rapunzel reached down and took Rudiger in her arms.

Pascal popped up from her shoulder, smiling widely at Rudiger. Pascal made a whirring sound to Rudiger, which the animal returned with a tittering. Rapunzel let this continue for a moment before getting Rudiger's attention by clearing her throat.

"It's great to see you again, Rudiger," Rapunzel said softly. Less so to see Rudiger's human companion, but she would admit that Rudiger was a nice surprise. Aside from the time Rudiger had been mutated to that vicious beast they had fought in the courtyard, Rudiger had never been anything but a perfectly pleasant raccoon to be around.

Rudiger made some more tittering, sounding almost excited in an attempt at a smile, and licked her face. Rapunzel laughed at the motion and wiped at her cheek.

"I see you and the raccoon are bonding," Eugene noted with a laugh, walking up to her. Rapunzel looked up at him in surprise before returning to Rudiger with a smile.

"He's so well-behaved," Eugene said.

The unspoken words _Hard to believe he likes Varian_ were tacked on by Rapunzel.

Why did Rudiger like Varian? After everything that happened, wasn't Rudiger one of the first in line to be angry with Varian? He had given him that wicked potion, forced him into attacking Corona, something that Rapunzel had a hard time believing the sweet-tempered animal in her arms would agree to do.

In the end, yes, technically, Rudiger had betrayed Varian and let Pascal out of his cage, but why was Rudiger with Varian _now_? Standing alongside a boy that by all accounts deserved punishment, none of which Rudiger had even remotely earned?

The sound of close moaning jarred her from her thoughts. She looked to see Varian slowly waking, his eyes blinking rapidly as they tried to open. Cassandra stiffened at this motion, hand clutching her sword, ready to strike if necessary.

Eugene stepped closer to her, hand reaching out to her protectively. Rapunzel didn't argue this. Everyone – including her – knew that Rapunzel was his number one enemy, and no claim that she could take care of herself was going to wipe that away.

Hook Foot shifted somewhere nearby, a little awkwardness in his eyes. He had no personal stake in this, like the rest of them did, so Rapunzel couldn't blame him.

Varian mumbled something under his breath as he came back to consciousness. Rudiger jumped down from Rapunzel's arms and came to sit at his feet, looking at him in concern.

"Rud-Rudiger?" Varian said first, focusing on said raccoon. "What-what happened? Last-last I remember we were-we were –"

He stopped talking then, eyes shooting open. His back banged against the tree trunk, blue eyes filling with poison as he looked amongst the group in front of him. He lingered his gaze on Rapunzel, and their eyes met for a brief moment.

 _I hate you,_ his eyes said. There was no light in them, no room for questioning. They were hard and cold and stiff.

She shivered, hating herself the second she did so, because his lips twerked up into a small smirk.

"What are you doing here?" Cassandra demanded. "And how did you get here?"

Cassandra was taking the lead in the interrogation of Varian, and Rapunzel was fine with that.

Varian looked down to his chest, where a rather ugly necklace was sitting. Rapunzel felt a strong string at the sight. Varian was said to be a Star – and that necklace must be it.

Varian looked down at his hands now too, raising an eyebrow at the rope tied around his leather gloves.

"Still don't trust me?" Varian chided. "What am I going to do, smirk you to dea—"

"The necklace," Rapunzel said, cutting him off. Varian snapped up at that, eyes becoming darker. Eugene turned back to her for a moment, eyes wide in surprise that she had something at all. Lance leaned over to see the necklace, eyes widening as he noticed it.

"That is one _ugly_ necklace," Lance noted, nose crinkling at the sight. Varian grit his teeth and glared up at Lance.

"But's it _my_ ugly necklace," Varian said. "Back _off."_

Given his protectiveness of it, Rapunzel was willing to wager money that that the money was the Star he was gifted.

"It's also what brought you here," Rapunzel said sternly. Varian returned his attention to her and frowned for a few minutes, but Rapunzel only stared back. She too could stare, if that's what he wanted.

It was silent between them for several moments, something no one else dared to break. It was an understood silence, one where Rapunzel dared him to deny that it was what it was. Varian seemed to consider it for a moment but held it back.

Everyone took the silence as an admission.

"How did you get it?" Cassandra asked. "And how did it bring you here?"

Varian raised an eyebrow. "Why would I tell you?"

Eugene frowned. "Because we have two former thieves, a guy with a hook for a _foot,_ and girl with magic hair, and we're still afraid of _her."_ He pointed to Cassandra with a smirk. "And you've already tried to kill her once, buddy. I wouldn't push it."

An extra glint of coldness shined in Cassandra's eyes as Eugene said that and a small bit of fear of did shine in Varian's face. He shifted on the grass, Rudiger crawling up now to rest on his shoulders at the image of Varian terrified.

" _Fine,"_ Varian spit. "Some kind of magic put this thing in my pocket back in the dungeon, it had a note, it said it would take me where I wanted to go." He made an appalled face. "But apparently it's defective because it brought me here when I asked it to take me somewhere I could save Dad." He scoffed under his breath and looked down. "Like you care about that though."

Rapunzel sighed deeply, tucking that very last comment away for later. Any kind of argument about that would have to wait until they figured all this out.

"Maybe it is working," Rapunzel offered. Varian's expression would make one think that she had grown a second head. She smiled at him, which was much more than he deserved given how he was acting. "We're going to solve the rocks, in the Dark Kingdom. Adira said that we were going to encounter people along the way, and that you were one of them. Maybe all of us – a _s in you too_ – are meant to go, and something there can save your dad."

Varian bit his lip. His face was a conflict, one any here can see.

Rapunzel hoped this would appease him. The Sunflower magic was mysterious, and half the time didn't work the way she thought it would, so her guess on this magic necklace was not that strong. But it made sense at least, right? Varian had asked to go somewhere where he could save his dad, and that thing – his Star – had brought him here.

Their had to be a reason for that, right?

"Fine," he bit out. "I still don't understand what that means though – what, you want me to come with you on your little journey to figure out where these monstrosities come from?" He eyed some of the rocks in the corner with a nasty look.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Rapunzel said. "It's the only option you currently have that doesn't involve us turning around and delivering you back to my parents." Varian looked at her in surprise, before his shock melted back into an almost impressive smirk.

"Nice to see you've got a backbone now, _Your Highness,"_ Varian sneered.

And Rapunzel then knew Varian was the newest member of their little adventure party.

* * *

Hook Foot was an unbelievably loud snorer, Varian decided.

Varian was atop of the caravan, because apparently him being on the ground allowed for a far too easy means of escape. Something that Varian was very reluctant to believe because a) his feet and hands were tied and b) on top of the caravan he could very easily slip down inside and sneak back out to leave. He rolled over on his side – or at least as far as he could, given that once he had risen that last complaint they had tied one end of his leg rope to Hook Foot to keep him from running.

That was a smart move, he would concede. Tie him up with another member, that way he couldn't bail on them with the necklace. It was a good idea, one he was surprised Lance of all people came up with. But Lance Strongbow had been one hell of a thief, so Varian may have been too quick to judge that he wasn't intelligent.

He settled his head against the pink wood, which he found he liked on about equal footing as the cell in Corona.

Today had been one heck of a ride, Varian decided. Waking up this morning hadn't been that normal of an experience, what with waking from teleportation and then puking all over his floor, but the day's events had only gotten stranger. More teleportation, coming face-to-face with his enemies again, and meeting a childhood hero.

And after all that, he was here now, with the worst people he could think of on a journey to save Dad. But he had a sinking suspicion they didn't care all that much about that part – far too focused on Rapunzel's supposed destiny than saving his father.

(That, however, didn't surprise him. Rapunzel had always been more concerned with herself than his father's fate, and he expected no different.)

Hook Foot snored and shifted farther away on the roof, making Varian's jut out closer to Hook Foot. Varian grumbled at the movement, turning back on his other side so that he could be a slight bit more comfortable.

Rudiger – whom had been sitting quietly at the edge – looked up at this, his dark eyes meeting Varian's in the moonlight.

"Hey buddy," Varian said softly, voice warm. Rudiger didn't say anything as he came over to him, sitting down to look Varian dead in the eye. "What are you thinking?"

Silence.

"I know," Varian said. "But it's the only way to save Dad."

Rudiger did make a sound at this, chittering quietly to him. He reached out a paw and put it on Varian's nose with a smile. Varian who was unsure what to take the meaning of that as, just laughed at Rudiger and removed his paw.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Varian said. Rudiger – happy to have been listened to – now curled his tail around himself and sat down to rest, and Varian watched for a moment. At least he had Rudiger to keep him company.

At least he had Rudiger whom he could trust.

Varian shut his eyes and tried to rest, hoping his dreams would be better. For now, he was stuck here, surrounded by untrustworthy and unscrupulous people he knew would drop him of the chips were down, but it was the only way to save Dad.

Until it no longer necessary, he would play the game on their terms, because his only advantage was this Star, which thanks to Adira they knew existed. He clutched the necklace tightly in one hand.

This necklace was the ace up his sleeve, and he wouldn't play unless vital, that was for sure.

And that moment, he hoped, wasn't soon.

* * *

In another part of the forest, there were two girls sitting by a fire.

One was short with tan skin and black hair, while the other was tall with red hair. There clothes were worn, but they were smiling as they sat next to their homemade fire, laughing at jokes the other one had made. They couldn't be more than nine-years-old.

Adira watched them for a moment, checking and rechecking the parchment in her hand. These were the next two, the owners of the next two Stars? She had thought it crazy that Varian – a boy whom she could consider a child was chosen – but small ones?

But their they were, a perfect sketch of the two kids right in front of her. She frowned and stepped back from the trees, flipping over the page to uncover what it is the Protectors knew of them

 _Red and Angry –_

(Adria raised a brow at those names. Really? Well, at least it saved the need to make nicknames for them later –)

 _Former thieves for the Baron, still wanted in many kingdoms. Birth regions unknown. Birth family unknown, but recent investigations suggests connection to Iridia._

 _Angry – Necklace of Strength_

 _Red – Ribbon of Speech_

Adira tried to reconcile how these two could have been picked. There was nothing about them! No home! No families! No nothing! Why had two Stars chosen little girls of all people?

Adira shook her head pulled the two items – a gray necklace with an elephant charm and a pink ribbon—out of her bag and prepared herself to step forward to greet them.

* * *

 _ **S'up my dudes? I present finally a third chapter of this fic! School has started for me again, so it has been fun trying to start a new fic and do that.**_

 _ **What do you guys think? Is everyone in character? I almost didn't include the part about Red and Angry, but the chapter just felt off so I put it in.**_

 _ **Review replies:**_

 _ **The Authverlord: Thank you so much! I'm aware of some of the spelling and grammar stuff, and I catch it when I can, but not all of it I get before publication and at that point I'm so deep into newer chapters I really don't have time to go back and fix it, because I have a bunch of other non-fanfiction stuff to do. But I'm slowly getting better at proofreading my work, I think. I hope. Probably not.**_

 _ **Sisternature365: Thank you! This story means a great deal to me, so I'm always excited to hear people like it!**_

 _ **Cerussi: Thanks! When writing an AU story I try to have as much reason put into it as possible, and when writing this one I had to come up with a way to explain things that just kind of expanded into it's one lore. And I love writing Varian, in almost every single Tangled story I've written he's a POV character, so I'm glad you think I'm doing his character right!**_

 _ **Rock Mint Swirl: Some will be returners, others won't. I love seeing characters retuning, and I wanted to bring back as many as I could, but it just wouldn't be believable if Raps knew everyone who has a Star. As for Stalyan? I may have her come back later...**_

 _ **Guest: Thank you! It's great to hear from you**_

 _ **Hope y'all like it!**_  
 _ **\- Princess Chess**_


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